Community Energy Provides Mid-Atlantic with the First Green-e Certified Block Product
June 21, 2001
SAN FRANCISCO, CA: The Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) announces that Community Energy based in Pennsylvania has gained Green-e certification of “New Wind Energy™,” its renewable energy product. This 100% wind product is the first “block product” to be certified by the Green-e Program, and will be sold to residential and business consumers in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
"The availability of Community Energy’s New Wind Energy™ product means that customers in the Mid-Atlantic Region will now, for the first time, have the choice of 100% wind energy from newly built Pennsylvania wind farms.” said Brent Alderfer, President of Community Energy. "Green-e certifies to Community Energy customers that they're receiving environmentally superior wind energy, which produces no emissions and uses no fuel."
New Wind Energy™ is sold in affordable blocks of pure wind energy. Customers choose the amount of wind energy they would like to purchase in set block sizes, as part of their electric supply. The price for each wind block is set at a fixed premium over conventional supply, currently $5 for each 200 kWh of wind energy. This premium goes directly to the development of new wind resources.
To receive Green-e certification for block products, the product's energy supply must come from 100% eligible new renewable resources such as wind, solar electric, geothermal, and biomass in a minimum block size of 150 kWh/month. Community Energy also agrees to abide by the Green-e Code of Conduct, and to submit marketing materials to CRS to meet Green-e disclosure and truth-in-advertising requirements. Community Energy will undergo an annual verification process to document that the company purchased enough quantity and type of renewable electricity to meet customer demand and marketing claims.
“We welcome Community Energy’s “New Wind Energy™” to our list of certified electricity options," said Jan Hamrin, Executive Director of the CRS. “When Community Energy customers see the Green-e logo, they can be sure they are purchasing electricity from reliable renewable resources that meet strict consumer protection and environmental standards.”
Community Energy’s wind blocks supply the "nation's largest single retail purchase of wind energy." Carnegie Mellon University, a Pittsburgh-based research university of about 7,500 students, announced plans to buy wind power to meet 5% of its annual electricity needs. Beginning this fall, the university will purchase approximately 4.8 million kilowatt-hours of wind energy annually under an agreement with Community Energy. The power will be supplied from the 15-megawatt Mill Run wind project now under construction 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. More information on Community Energy can be found at www.NewWindEnergy.com.
Pennsylvania's electricity market has been deregulated since 1998, giving consumers the option to choose their power provider. CRS launched Green-e in California in 1997, in Pennsylvania in 1998, and in New Jersey and throughout New England in 1999. Green-e has recently been launched in Texas and Ohio. Currently, over 250,000 customers nationwide purchase Green-e certified electricity.
Green-e is a program of the Center for Resource Solutions, a non-profit organization based in San Francisco’s Presidio. CRS brings together diverse interests to preserve our environment, encourage sustainable economic growth; and promote clean energy for present and future generations. Dr. Jan Hamrin founded CRS and serves as the Executive Director. More information on the organization is available at www.resource-solutions.org
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